Best Sandwich (2013)

Few understand the proper architecture of a perfect sandwich. The cold must stay cold, while the hot remains hot. One ingredient misstep and the entire affair could collapse, leaving layers of flavor to languish in the muck. The local master of this high-wire act — the modern-day culinary Philippe Petit — is Manny Gonzalez, and his sandwich is the Manny's torta. Inside a loaf of crusty, chewy bread is a cacophony of flavors: creamy beans, avocado, jalapeños, the crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the inside meats (chicken, pork loin, steak, and more), and spicy chipotle mayonnaise cooled by a layer of crunchy lettuce. A perfectly placed layer of cheese keeps that hot stuff hot and the cold nice and crisp. There are plenty of Sammy-come-latelys, but Manny's classics remain on top for a reason.